Tale of Ghada
by Dr.Seuss
Summary: Ghada sets out on a mission to find her sister who was stolen away from her by a man named Slade. Now a knight and ready to set out and take on this mission, she must sacrifice much as she can no longer be known as a girl...please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Ghada stood on the second floor of her estate at the rail which overlooked her sisters pillow exhibition. Every few months her father would place all of his daughters who were of an age to be promised on a different coloured pillow as if to put them on display to the new suitors who were passing by. Ghada was glad she was not old enough to be on one of those pillows, she was the youngest of nine sisters and stood proud at a good age of seven years old.

Her nursemaid Hester stood beside her also watching the elder sisters final primping and smoothing of their dresses before the suitors were to be let in. The oldest was Eustacia, who was nineteen and was a rather cheerful person who in Ghada's opinion was never really in control of her life in any way. Any decision made by her mother or father, Eustacia would never question and gladly follow.

Next was Mahalia, she was nothing like Eustacia but that may have been because she was born of a different mother, Ghada's father had married six times over and had had at least one child from each. For only being eighteen she had a rather mysteriously mature air around her. She knew what she wanted in life and that was power and money, something in which Ghada's father would gladly share opinion in.

Third down the line seated on a yellow pillow was Valerie. Out of all of his daughters, Wycliff had always had the hardest time controlling her. She had a frightful temper and was hardest by far to please by anyone. She always wanted the best of the best and any suitor who had ever come near her so far had been rejected immediately in a very quick and unpolite manner. She was also eighteen and spoiled to the core.

The last and final one was Ani, she was definetly the best looking one there as far as Ghada could tell. Usually she was the one who caught every mans eye first and could hold onto that without trying. Ani was only sixteen and had been the youngest one on display yet. Wycliff had very high hopes for this daughter and would only consider the richest of men for her hand.

Ghada had other sisters though who were closer to her age to play with. There was Amory who was twelve years old who could get along with anyone she wanted to, then there was Amaryllis, Amory and Valerie's younger sister who was nine, and as far as Ghada could tell the closest person to her in the whole world, and then there was Leonora who was eleven and younger sister to Ani, she made up to Ani's looks by her brains. Then there was Delora, she was the only child of Wycliffs 4th wife who had died in child labour and always had a gloomy air around her, she was fourteen and closest out of the five of them to being presented.

Wycliff strolled over to inspect each of his daughters to see if they could get anymore appealing then they already were. After strolling down the line, Wycliff seemed satisfied and walked towards the large wooden enterance doors to his mansion and threw them open. Ghada practically fell over the rail while leaning to get a better look at the men lined up outside of her home. Wycliff edmitted only one at a time so while the stranger looked over his daughters he would have time to evaluate the clothing he wore and the way he presented himself to make a rough estimate on how much money he had.

Ghada grew bored after watching the fourth man walk out in a daze after seeing Ani, so she went to go find Amaryllis. Hester followed in pursuit of her young mistress as it was her job to keep a close eye on the girl. The mansion contained five floors with ten rooms on each floor all spread out. Living in a house like this kept Ghada guessing where she would stumble upon Amaryllis.

After three flights of stairs, and the groans of Hester complaning about her knees Amaryllis found them.

" Oooooo, did you see the eigth suitor come in?" Amaryllis questioned grinning with delight.

"No I got bored by the fourth one and went to find you," replied Ghada.

"What was so special about him?"

Amaryllis started laughing while trying to explain and Ghada had a hard time figuring out what she was trying to say. Patiently waiting until she was done Ghada asked her to re-explain.

"Well he came in wearing ragged pants with a patch sewn onto them and his shirt was untucked and frumpy, so obviously he was a peasent. I have never seen father so angry as when he threw him out of our house."

Ghada tried to picture the event in her mind and imagined her father picking up a scarecrow claded man and throwing him out the door. Ghada laughed inspite of herself.

"A peasent entered our house in search of a bride?What was he delusional?"Hester couldn't help but put in her opinion.

Ghada thought that she would rather have a man who resembled a scarecrow before half of the men that her father found as a possibility. Usually they were ten years older and very desperate, and Ghada didn't like the fact they expected heir's. She would rather not be married at all then to one of those men. Secretly she dreaded the day where she would be presented on a colourful cushion while being inspected like some common mule by men who ressembled wild boars themselves.

Amaryllis on the other hand couldn't wait to be showcased and expressed her delight every year that she got closer to it, as she was two years older than Ghada she would be presented first. She always watched every suitor come in and took mental notes on what they paused to look at or why they walked away without a second glance.

Ghada and Amaryllis began to stroll towards the kitchen as it was nearing dinnertime and they were quite hungry. Hester went ahead of them to check on the nearly finished meal and told the two girls to seat themselves. As time went by Leonora walked into the room and sat on the otherside of Ghada while Amory wandered to the otherside of Amaryllis. Delora made her way in in her usual dreamy way and sat at the other end of the table seemingly unaware that anyone else was there.The rest came in all at once in an apparent dispute.

The four girls looked up questioningly while Delora had no reaction at all. Wycliff was red in the face from trying to get a point through to one of his daughters and to which one he was addressing was unapparent It was then made clear it was with Valerie when she took her cup of water and threw it at Wycliff then stormed off upstairs. Dinner was then eaten in an awkward silence…..


	2. Chapter 2

Once dinner was finished Amaryllis and Ghada excused themselves early, not wanting to remain in the silence throughout dessert.

"What was that all about?" wondered Amaryllis outloud as soon as they were out of hearing range.

"I don't know," replied Ghada, " But I have never seen Valerie actually hurl a solid object at father before."

Both of the puzzled girls walked up to the fourth floor where their bedrooms were and bid goodnight to each other. Hester came into Ghada's room ten minutes later to check up on the youngest daughter and sing her a lullaby if necessary. Tonight was not one of those nights as the little girl looked so deep in thought Hester thought the girl wouldn't even hear her.

Ghada was left alone in the darkness of her fairly spacious chamber. Unable to sleep, she got out of bed and walked over to her balcony windows and threw them open and stepped outside. Curiously a light was still on, on the first floor, and Ghada saw shadows moving about. She recognized the shadow of her father as he was a big rounded fellow with massive curly hair. A smaller figure was in the room with him, and after a time Ghada guessed it was Valerie.

"She's in trouble you know," said a small almost triumphant sounding voice.

Ghada turned around to see that Delora was standing on the balcony with her now.

"But why is she in trouble, Delora?" asked Ghada.

"Tonights a nice night you know," stated Delora either ignoring the question or choosing not to hear it.

"Yes, I it is a nice—

"Good night for running away you know."

Ghada looked over at Delora wondering where she was going with this.

"Her and that disgusting commoner, oooo daddy's so mad!" screeched Delora, and with that ran out of Ghada's room.

Ghada looked down again at the light which had gone out the moment she looked away. Wanting to talk to someone of what she just heard, she wandered across the hall into Amaryllis's room.

Amaryllis sat on her bed unable to sleep like Ghada and was trying to put on her slippers.

"Oh!" said Amaryllis turning around, " I was just going to go visit you!"

Ghada sat down on the bed with Amaryllis and explained what happened with Delora.

"Well Delora's half-mad Ghada, you can't believe everything she says. God Father's going to have a ripe ol' time trying to find a husband for _her_."

" You really think she will get married? I always pictured her in this house forever wandering around the corridors scaring people with information that no one knows or cares about."

Both of the girls giggled over this idea.

"She would make a perfect ghost you know, with that pale complexion of hers. Not to mention how thin she is, she could be a walking skeleton," said Amaryllis.

"I'm still worried about the running away part. What would father do if his daughters started running away?" asked Ghada imagining herself getting ready to leave.

"Well I suppose they would be replaced if he got married a _seventh_ time…."

Amaryllis was then hit with a pillow by Ghada and the two girls started jumping around the chamber smacking one another.

It only took a few minutes for Hester to come running in to stop the two girls from splitting the pillows seams.

Hester pulled Ghada out of Amaryllis room and half threw her into her own room.

"Now go to sleep!"

Ghada sighed and settled into her bed, unaware of when sleep finally found her.

The next morning uproar in the household awoke Ghada, screams and shouts were heard all over the house and Ghada jumped out of her bed to see what was wrong. Leonora was the first one to find her.

"She's gone!" said Leonora in a frantic voice.

Ghada stopped for a moment and already knew who was she was talking about but decided to ask anyway.

"Who's gone?"

"Valerie! Oh this is awful, father has made all the servants go looking for her and is out there himself practically ripping the town apart trying to find her." Leonora sniffled, not liking the different atmosphere in the household.

"Amaryllis and Amory, have you told them?" asked Ghada.

" It was father who told them, he woke them up first and they've been up ever since."

Ghada ran downstairs to find her favourite sister and best friend.She found her on a chair crying and clutching a stuffed toy that Ghada hadn't seen her use in years.

"Amaryllis?" Ghada approached cautiously not wanting to upset her even more.

"She's gone, my older sisters gone. She always was nice to me and Amory even if she wasn't to anyone else, and now she's gone, oh Delora was right!" and with that Amaryllis burst into fresh tears.

"Does anyone know _where_ to look?" Delora entered the room followed by Amory and the rest of her half sisters.

"What do you mean _where to look_? She could be anywhere!" said Amory, getting annoyed at the consistent nonsense Delora was saying.

" Well she did run off with that _boy_ afterall," said Delora.

The whole room quieted down and everyones eyes were locked on Delora.

"What boy?" asked Eustacia.

" Why the _peasent_ of course." answered Delora.

" You mean to tell us that Valerie ran off with a _boy_, and not just that but he has _no money?"_ asked Mahalia.

"But she's never found any interest in a boy before!" said Ani, clearly stating what everyone else was thinking.

" I saw them run off together last night," said Delora.

"And you did nothing to stop it?"said an ever growing angrier Amory.

"Where did he take her?" asked Amaryllis finally calming down.

"How should _I _know?I only _saw_ them, I didn't _question_ them."

Delora grew flushed and decided now was the time to make her exit and did so quickly leaving the other girls gaping at what had just seemed a normal conversation with their half-mental sister.

" She's crazy, she must have seen one of the servants not Valerie!" said Mahalia.

"But that man from yesterday, the commoner, I saw him looking at Valerie the longest,'' said Amaryllis.

" And when he was, Valerie didn't say anything rude or react at all, she almost looked contempt at the fact he would be so bold as to enter our house looking like he was."

" So she ran away out of spite?" asked a bewhildered Eustacia.

All the girls turned silent and reproachful.After a timea bang was heard as the doors were thrown open announcing Wycliff's return. Ghada ran out to meet him first.

"Did you find her?"

Wycliff looked at his youngest daughter and shook his head sadly.

"She was just like her mother…" he half grunted and spoke talking more to himself then anyone else.

Amory and Amaryllis ran to their father also in hopes of good news. Seeing none found on his face they both looked at the ground unable to meet his eyes again.

" I am aware," announed Wycliff, " That Valerie has eloped at the St.Enrico's Church and has ran off with a common stable boy."

Someone gasped, but Ghada didn't see nor care who did it.

"So she's gone forever?"

" Well I'm sure she won't be coming back soon," answered Wycliff.

"Where's lunch I'm starving," boomed Wycliff changing the subject.

The servents ran into the house and scampered into the kitchen to prepare a meal. The girls all walked off for quiet leisure time and Wycliff entered his study. Looking at all of his wives old pictures he let out a sigh.

"They've all left me but one," Wycliff picked up the picture of Eustacia's mother.

"My first and most faithful wife, I don't deserve you," Wycliff said to the picture, " You must come back soon, Eustacia misses you and the rest of the girls I'm sure do too."

Ghada stood at the doorway hearing her fathers voice full of sadness and the reality of his age setting in on him. She crept away from the door not wanting her father to know that she heard.

As the years went by Eustacia married an elderly man named Leavitt who was a successful baker, and very wealthy man. Mahalia was given away to a man twice her age, Kesler, who worked as an accountant to the Duke of Barrymore; That had given her a lot of money and some of that wanted power she had always wanted. Lastly there was Ani who was payed for by a man named Johnavon who had fallen in love with her at first sight, and vowed to give Wycliff the most money for her.

It was when Ani got married, reality set in to the now eleven year old Ghada, how close to the cushion she was getting…..

$&$(&

Ok I know I'm pretty bad at writing stories but I'd really like any comments you guys could possibly muster up 'cause I want to know who is actually reading my story(I hope someone is O.o).

And there's more to come, I actually have a plot in my head now (these 2 chapters have kinda been written randomly, leading to nowhere but now they'll go somewhere!)


	3. Chapter 3

Ghada was in the middle of taking a bath when she heard a bell ring in the distance, finding this odd as it was not a church day, Ghada got out of the bath wrapped herself up in a towel and glanced out the nearest window. Seeing nothing, she quickly got dressed for the day and left the bathroom.

Wycliff was marching down the hall when Ghada was going to her room, it was then when the strangest thing her father had ever done to this day occured. He stopped Ghada in the hall and asked her her opinion on something.

"Ghada, is what I'm doing wrong?" 

Ghada cocked her head to one side to evaluate her gloomy looking father.

"What's wrong ?"

Wycliff heaved loudly and looked around to see if anyone else was coming. When he saw the empty hallway about him he decided to carry on.

" I've had an offer in advance for one of my daughters," said Wycliff, " He's offered to pay me the biggest fortune I've ever seen, but I just don't know if I like the man. He gives off the impression he won't take no as an answer and I just don't know what to do."

" Then don't do it father," stated Ghada simply.

Wycliff chuckled at the answer.

"I knew you would say something of the sort Ghada, but he would give me a lot of trouble. Trouble I don't know if I can afford," frowned Wycliff.

"Well who is he so smitten with that he's willing to pay for her in advance," said Leonora who had come out of her bedroom, in which they were standing right beside and apparently had heard everything.

Wycliff smiled at his now fifteen year old daughter.

" Well now that you mention it, he wants you."

Leonora looked shocked at the answer, but quickly regained her composure.

" Well what if I don't want to marry him? I'm only fifteen after all, it's not legalized until I'm eighteen!"

"I expected something like this from you, but personally I agree. I think you are far too bright for this man and it would be a waste of your talent to be stuck with him for the rest of your life."

Leonora looked at him with such happiness on her face that he would even care about her future after she married that Wycliff felt very guilty about what he was going to say next.

"Unfortunately, if he can't have you he wants to see what other prospects he has..." Wycliff glanced almost cautiously over at Ghada to see his youngest daughters reaction.

It didn't take long for that information to sink into Ghada.

"BUT I'M ELEVEN!" yelled Ghada, " I want to live life well until I'm at least eighteen! Not be promised to some pig of a man who is twice my age and could care less about me and only want sons!" and with that Ghada raced down the hallway and out of sight.

Moments later she bumped into Amaryllis.

"Have you heard the news?" said Ghada roughly, "Father wants to put ALL of us on display now, even though most of us are severely under age!"

Amaryllis looked dreamy at this.

"Yes I've heard, and I only do have five more years until I can officially be married after all. So I want to see what prospects lie out there."

Ghada looked at her older sister almost with disgust.

"Do you really want to be married that bad that you don't even care who it is? Men only want us for babies! For heirs! They won't _seriously _love you---

Ghada was cut off by a slap from Amaryllis. She stood there breathing heavily looking outraged that Ghada would say such things, as Amaryllis was a true romantic and didn't want anyone spoiling her image of getting married.

Ghada meanwhile looked stunned and hurt, as her favourite sister had never layed a hand on her before. She scampered off with hot tears starting to pour down her face, not wanting Amaryllis to see just how much she had hurt her in an emotional way.

As she ran Ghada did not care or notice where she went as long as she could get as far away from the manour and the people in it as possible. Stopping at her stables she rested in a stack of hay.

Hearing a snort of displeasure Ghada looked up and saw what she thought was a young stallion looking down on her. Apparently she was sitting on his next meal and Ghada frantically got up as the young horse began to nibble at her clothes instead.

Ghada reached out to touch the horses' muzzle and it responded by snorting again but this time in a more normal and less alarmed way.

"Well you're a nice horse aren't you? I bet you don't have to worry about who you're going to get married to are you?" Ghada looked at the horse tenderly then almost as if waking from a dream laughed at herself.

"How lonely am I? I'm talking to a horse, this seems something more Delora would do."

Delora still lived at the manour even though she was now eighteen but no one yet had asked for her hand and Ghada's prediction from when she was seven still held true. Delora was not going anywhere.

Ghada heard a snap and approaching footsteps that crunched along the gravel path to get to the stables. It was a moment later when Amory looked through the door and her gaze met Ghada's bleary reddened eyes.

"You've been crying," said Amory stating the obvious.

Ghada looked away, not yet feeling like talking.

"Amaryllis told me what happened between you two and she feels really bad about hitting you. She also wants me to apologize for her as she didn't know if you wanted to see her quite yet."

Ghada looked up in surprise, not expecting to hear that, and so soon.

"Well it was partly my fault too, I was angry and I guess I took it out on her."

Amory grinned at Ghada, "And now you've taken to talking to horses, just what Delora does. I don't know...we may have a second Delora in the making."

"How did you know that?" asked a slowly reddening Ghada, disturbed that she was overheard.

"Oh I have been standing here for over ten minutes, and I decided that it wouldn't be right to barge in so I ran back along the grass then loudly made my way back by the gravel pathway."

Ghada started to laugh, feeling better instantly, she walked back with Amory to the house and saw an awaiting Amaryllis sitting on the ledge of the front yard fountain. The figurine spewing out water from its' mouth posing for all of eternity.

Without any words shared Amaryllis and Ghada began to run to one another and everything was forgotten in one swift hug.

Little did they know, Wycliff observed this reunion in his study growing evermore troubled as the man he had told now all of them about was coming over in exactly one hour.

As the girls re-entered the house they were met by Delora and Leonora. A subject was brought up and they all put in their opinion chattily while Wycliff walked towards them. 

"Alright girls, It's time to get ready. He'll be here within the hour."

Ghada was about to protest when a hand moved in front of her mouth smoothly and she was dragged off in the middle of the clump of girls. This would be Ghada's and Amaryllis's first time on the pillows ever and however excited Amaryllis was, that was how much Ghada dreaded it.

As they entered a large chamber to dress themselves and enhance their features by the means of make-up, Wycliff followed them in.

"Amaryllis you will be seated on the blue cushion, and Ghada you will be seated on the royal purple."

With that said Wycliff turned heel and left the room.

Amaryllis squealed with happiness that the day she finally dreamed about had come. Ghada groaned inside and decided to find the most unshapely and unflattering dress she could find.

Amaryllis called Ghada over to help her with her hair. Ghada looked at Amaryllis' wavy golden waist-length hair and compared it to her own straight black above the shoulder own. Ghada had never been fond of long hair on herself, she always found it as a nuisance and in the way. As Ghada braided Amaryllis' hair and piled it on top and secured it with a nicely fashioned hair clip, Amaryllis caught sight of the dress that was layed out behind her.

"Oh you're not wearing that are you?" half-screeched Amaryllis appalled at Ghada's choice.

"Why not, I think it would look lovely," Ghada said with an obviously sarcastic tone.

Amaryllis walked over and held up the too big dress, which could pass as an overly large poncho. It was knit with all different colours of wool and had a very tacky bow at the right hip. Ghada was proud of her selection and didn't believe it could get anymore less appealing then that.

Amaryllis herself wore a light blue satin dress which cascaded down on the floor giving her a nice sweeping movement when she walked.

Ghada quickly grabbed her own dress out of Amaryllis' hands and put it on over the clothes she was already wearing not bothering to change shoes or put on any make-up.

"Done!" said Ghada racing out the door.

Leonora stopped Amaryllis from chasing after.

"Just let her go, after all being eleven _is_ a bit young to be presented."

Amaryllis nodded and waited for Amory to finish changing before walking out with her and Leonora.

They found Delora and Ghada sitting on their cushions already. Delora sat on a green cushion almost as if she were in a trance. She was perfectly still with her legs crossed and dangling over the pillow. Ghada on the other hand was sprawled out all over her pillow trying to figure out which way would make her look the worst.

Amaryllis sat next to Ghada as they were presented in age order.

"What are you _doing_ Ghada?" asked Amaryllis, surprised at how Ghada was treating her first ceremony.

"I'm making myself comfortable,"said Ghada, "besides you being beside me should make me look even worse!"

Ghada looked very hopeful at this and Wycliff entered the main hall of where they were all seated.

"Alright he's here and apparently he's brought some other men with him and--- GOOD LORD GHADA!"

Wycliff had now spotted his youngest daughter in the most hideous dress he had ever seen sitting in a non-ladylike manner. Ghada grinned at her father.

"Wow I hope everyone else has a reaction similar to that!"

"But there's no time for you to change," spluttered Wycliff, "At least sit up straight."

And with that her father walked over placed her in a decent sitting position muttered for her to stay like that and left to go get the suitors.

He threw open the wooden doors as Ghada had seen him do so many times from the floors above, but this time she was on display, this time she was up for a future bride prospect. With that thought in mind Ghada began to slouch.

Four men entered, and a boy who looked like he was a messenger or a page, and that's exactly what he was. The first man was presented as Knox, he was very tall and musclebound in appearance, but also older looking. He had to at least be thirty-five.

As Knox paced along the line he stopped briefly to look at Leonora but was told harshly by a smaller, yet powerful looking man to keep walking. He was the man who Wycliff had told his daughters about.

He was introduced next, His name was Slade, he looked younger than Knox, at perhaps twenty-eight, but there was something about him that Ghada instantly disliked. He stopped to look at each and every one of them, although he looked at Ghada the shortest. Ghada sighed with relief when the intensity of his sinister look was cast off of her.

Next was a man named Hayward, he almost looked out of place compared to the other men, he had a big rounded belly and had a jolly look about him. He didn't stop to look at any of them and it was then, Ghada wondered if they would all get off.

The fourth and last man was undoubtedly the shortest man she had ever seen and had a very stocky build, his name was Orrin. He scanned over the girls and stopped at Amaryllis, he looked over her for a very long almost uncomfortable amount of time and didn't even bother to look at Ghada. Ghada sighed, she was safe now. No one had showed any interest in her.

The four men had a quiet discussion among themselves when Ghada saw herself being looked, or more like it glared at by the page-boy who had come along with the four men Ghada decided to glare back not liking the attitude of the young boy.

"Let Calix have a look eh?" laughed Hayward.

The young boy of around twelve looked up at his superiors and reluctantly walked down the line of pillows. He stopped at Ghada, mouthing "ugly" and then walked back to the men. Ghadas' hazel eyes narrowed at the back of the boy, liking no more than to throw him over the roof of her manour.

"Right then we've made our decision," said Slade, "You can keep Leonora."

A rush of air was seemingly let out from all five girls. Ghada happily smiled to herself.

"But, we'll be taking Amaryllis."


	4. Chapter 4

Ghada looked over at Amaryills with a feeling that felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. Amaryllis looked at Ghada with a look of horror on her face, she hadn't expected this at all.

Wycliff stepped forward to discuss the change in plans of Slade.

"The girls merely thirteen...Surely you could come back for her in a few years time."

Slade looked mistrustfully at Wycliff.

"By then you will probably have married off all your daughters to other men who are wealthy as myself to _prevent_ that from happening. I'm no fool, and I say we want her _now._"

Ghada sensed the dangerous tone in his voice as did Wycliff. Wycliff looked up at Amaryllis who was trying very hard to keep a straight face and not to burst into tears.

"Very well," said Wycliff, " But first you must show me the fortune you promised me. Delora, Leonora, Amory, Ghada, go help your sister pack."

With that, the five men and the page boy walked outside to discuss the matter.

All the girls rushed upstairs to Amaryllis' room, and each girl was planning some means of escape for their unfortunate sister. Amaryllis stood in the middle of her room stunned.

"But I don't want to go," she said looking confused and miserable.

"Then run away," said Ghada, " You still have time," said Amory.

"But then he'll take one of you, and he will be most displeased with father."

All the girls looked out the window at the ground below, hearing a loud conversation which was also drawing the servants attention. Leonora gasped when she saw one of the men distinctly hit Wycliff with a powerful blow which knocked him to the ground.

"Father!" yelled Leonora, racing out of the room and down the steps, followed by Delora, who surprisingly was well aware of what was going on. Amory after a moment raced after the girls, but not before picking up a metal candle stick holder.

"For something to throw,"smirked Amory, leaving the room.

It was in that instant of seeing her father get hurt that Amaryllis made up her mind.

"Ghada, help me pack my things."

Both girls ran around the room throwing everything they could find into a large cloth bag. Amaryllis growing more anxious and impatient with each minute passing by kept glancing out the window as the heated argument carried on. Both girls heard a shout from a man who had evidently been hit in the head with something hard.

"WHAT THE DEVIL WAS THAT?" yelled Knox so loud that it echoed the court-yard.

"Well I'm glad to see that Amory made use of that candle stick holder," said Ghada, smiling with Amaryllis for what could be the last time.

"Ghada, I don't want to leave," said Amaryllis embracing her sister.

"And I don't want you to go, but things aren't looking to good," replied Ghada.

Amaryllis was helped carrying her bags downstairs by Ghada and both girls stood at the main door looking at one another.

"Write me if you can," said Ghada, "I want to know if you are alright and if you aren't I will find you."

Slade approached the two girls and roughly took Amaryllis by the arm and looked disgusted by the amount of material items she had to take with her.

"Alright girly, you get _one_ of those bags, The rest remain here."

Ghada stood glaring at the man hating him. Slade caught the look on Ghadas' face and roughly pushed her away from Amaryllis' side. Wycliff saw the motion and marched over to where Slade stood.

" I've changed my mind, Amaryllis is not going with someone like you, and _never _lay a hand on any of my daughters again," said an outraged Wycliff.

Slade merely smirked, "I had a feeling you would say that, so I hereby withdraw my offer of great wealth and will take this girl as my slave. Although if you have a _problem_ with me doing so, the rest of your family dies right now."

Wycliff stood defiant, and Slade looked irritated.

"Very well by means of example..."

Slade walked over to Delora and pulled her close to him, all the time Delora looked off into the distance as if in a whole other world not knowing what danger she was being put in. Slade withdrew a silver dagger with a carved snake coiled around an emerald at the hault. He then slid it across the throat of Delora.

Everyone watched in horror as the dark red liquid cascaded down the skin of Delora, while in the meantime she was making funny noises trying to breathe.

Ghada looked around her at the expressions on the men that were with Slade. Knox and Orrin showed no emotion whatsoever while Hayward grimaced and turned to face away from the scene. Calix, the page, however, looked quite distraught and joined Hayward in looking the opposite way.

Minutes later she slid to the ground while a pool of red formed around her now saintly looking figure.

Wycliff stood in his place horrified looking at his daughter who was murdered before his own eyes then he looked at Amaryllis and then at the rest of his daughters.

" I am so sorry—

He was cut off by the withdrawal of Amaryllis from the touch of his hand to her cheek. She looked at Deloras body, all the colour now drained from her face.

"Good, that's settled then," said Slade

Slade turned around and saw Hayward and Calix looking the other way.

"Hayward!Calix! Look in the general direction of your leader when he makes a statement, one would think you're no supporting him by looking somewhere else. Especially _you_ Calix, you're going to be seeing this a lot when you're older, this will be your _job._"

Ghada looked at Calix disgusted that he would be doing that in the near future.

"After all knights kill all the time."

Calix looked at the ground trying to not look at the body. Then all the men but Slade left to go to the carriage.

Amaryllis looked tearfully away from the manor to the carriage, which stood to take her away from everything she knew. Something in her mind told her she would never see the manor again, nor anyone of whom she loved in it again.

Amaryllis walked over to each of her remaining sisters and said goodbye to each of them with a hug, lastly she walked over to Ghada, whom she would find the most hard to leave.

" Goodbye."

Ghada looked up painfully from Delora, and was about to hug her sister for the last time when she was snatched away by Slade. He began to drag her forcefully towards the carriage, and seeing her sister looking back at her the whole time a sudden rage grew within Ghada.

" I WILL FIND YOU!" Yelled Ghada from the top of the stairs.

Amaryllis was shoved into the carriage and she immediately withdrew to the window to see her youngest sister running down the stairs.

" I WILL KILL YOU AS YOU KILLED DELORA!"

Slade merely glanced at the child and commanded the driver to go. The carriage rolled away with the screams of Amaryllis inside. Ghada ran after it until it was out of sight and collapsed out of anguish for she had lost two of her sisters that day.


	5. Chapter 5

Months had passed by the now quiet estate and Ghada had taken up archery, sword craft and any other means of defense she could find. Hester her previous nursemaid had suggested to her that her husband, Landis, could help train her.

Wycliff, ever since the incident with Delora had been withdrawn into his study and hardly ever left. Many said he had fallen into a depression. Amory took the time to visit him every day to see how he faired, while Leonora was now boarding at a school, studying to be a scholar. Ghada had trained every day since the absence of Amaryllis' presence and had gotten along fairly well in the basics of using a sword and a bow and arrow.

Amory had taken up to being her partner for activities such as these, but had lacked the fierceness of Ghada and had lost each and everytime. Ghada wandered around her estate early in the morning on the first day of spring, when she entered the stables in search of the stallion she had encountered only months before. Landis had told her to choose a horse as he was going to teach her how to ride.

Ghada spotted it, and headed towards the stable, when a servent stopped her.

"That one is rather, nervous miss."

Ghada glanced at her and decided to ignore her. She approached the horse and stroked the muzzle again like she had done months before. The horse responded in a positive manner and Ghada decided to take her out to Landis.

Landis stood surprised at Ghada's decision, and impressed that the horse followed Ghada.

"Well clearly you belong with that horse, he responds to no other like he's responded to you."

Ghada looked at the black horse who was standing behind her nodding his head as if to agree. Landis taught her slowly how to saddle up the horse so it wouldn't be too tight or too loose and helped her on. Landis walked into the stable and got himself a horse to ride alongside with her.

After two hours of being on a horse, not including the time in which she spent on the ground from falling off, Ghada had very sore legs and went to go take a bath. A crisp sound of a bell broke the silence and Ghada sat up remembering the events, which had occurred after she had heard the accursed sound before.

Amory entered the bathroom seemigly hearing it as well.

"Hmmm. It's loudest from this room," said Amory more to herself.

Ghada sat in the tub looking at her only sister left. It had grown from eight to one in such a short amount of time to Ghada. Amory sat in a chair close to the window and looked out.

"I wonder if Amaryllis' is still alive," she wondered aloud.

Ghada sat up straight causing a huge squeak to be heard.

"Of course she's still alive,"said Ghada although she had wondered this herself many times.

" Those men all seemed bad from the start, although I wouldn't have expected the page boy to be evil, he was a cutie."

Ghada gaped at her sister.

" The page boy was _not_ a cutie. He seemed more like a spoilt brat who tagged along and has no life," half grumbled Ghada.

Amory grinned at Ghada.

"You still have your great attitude towards men I see."

"Well I haven't really been exposed to anyone good now have I?"

"I suppose that's true, but that page boy wasn't half-bad. He looked like he would be very handsome when he's older, Calix wasn't it?"

"He was a scrawny runt,"stated Ghada, not believing she was having this conversation with Amory.

" But even the _name itself_ means 'very handsome'," said Amory.

"I can't even remember his name all I know is he called me ugly."

Amory laughed at this, "What do you expect wearing something like you were?"

Ghada sunk into the bubbles of her bath not wanting to hear anymore about Calix. Calix could rot in hell for all she cared. Amory stood up to leave.

"Very well, I will leave you to your bath."

As Amory exited the room Ghada got out of the bath and got dressed for bed. As she wandered down the hall she heard the sound of the bell again and ran into her room. As she threw open the balcony doors she saw a figure running through the courtyard. Ghada ran down four flights of stairs and out the door to go and see who this intruder was.

As she drew nearer to the figure's shadow it disappeared. Wondering where it went she continued forward only to have a hand clamp over her mouth and to have herself spun around. There stood Landis looking amused at what he saw before him. Ghada was wearing a long white nightie and had carried nothing as a defense weapon.

" Who do you think you were going to go after lookin' like that, eh?"

Ghada pushed him away in a suddenly sulky mood that she had come so unprepared. If this had been a real attacker she would have been dead in an instant.

"I was wondering if you were up for some training?" asked Landis.

Ghada raised an eyebrow, "Landis it's twelve o'clock, I wouldn't be able to see nevertheless concentrate."

"Ah, but a knight is on duty 24/7 you see."

"Where is this idea coming from that you think I want to be a knight?"asked Ghada, tired of having some old man training her more so for the battle field rather then self-defense.

" Well I thought it would bring you closer to what you want to do."

"And what's that?"Ghada leaned towards the fountain took some falling water in her hands and decided to drink it.

"To kill Slade."

Ghada choked on the water she was drinking simultaneous to the word Slade.

" Hester told me what you said that day," said Landis, "And by all means I offer my full support. That man deserves to die."

Ghada looked up thoughtfully, "You would provide me with the necessary skills and training it would take to kill him?"

"I was a knight myself you know once," winked Landis.

Ghada looked up surprised, "You were?"

"Yes and you're probably thinking, 'but he's so old', and you're right I am old, but I was a knight."

Ghada listened with interest how we was a page then a scribe then a knight, and how he won a contest that would give him a good enough title to be near wealthy people such as Slade.

" Although I was near his father not Slade, and you couldn't find two worse people in all of Acaelea. Slade was his spoilt child, course he was only around five back when I won the title, but he still grew up rotten as ever. People say Slade killed his own father when Len died. Wouldn't put it past that man."

"Where in Acaelea does he live?" asked Ghada eagerly.

"He has a big mansion up there, if you can call it that. It always looked more of a fortress to me. It would be _very_ hard to infiltrate."

With that said the bell sounded again, and curiously Ghada asked why the bell was doing that.

"Oh that's the bell from the inner-harbour, signaling when ships are either coming or leaving."

Ghada figured the first time she ever heard it must have been when Slade and his men had made birth on the Island of Emlyn. Ghada had never gone to the village so she did not know anything about it. Wycliff had only brought them to a small market, which settled near their estate over the hill once a year.

"In seven years you can be a full fledged knight, if you accept being my page and scribe."

With that said Landis departed and left Ghada sitting on the fountain Amaryllis once had been, thinking over the offer he had just made her. The next morning Ghada skipped over and boldly agreed to what Landis had to offer.

Grinning Landis said, "Prepare for seven hardest years of your life."


	6. Chapter 6

Seven hard years had indeed past by and the now eighteen years old Ghada stood ready and alert for Landis to attack. Today was the day that would either pass her or force her to continue another possible year of training. Ghada would rather clean all a hundred rooms of her estate than go through another year of hellish onslaught. Landis had kept true to his promise and had taught her anything a knight ought to know.

She had mastered the bow and arrow, had fairly good swordmanship and footwork to go along with it, could ride a horse bareback without any problems and was fairly accurate at jousting.

Ghada measured up her opponent warily, having to face him for the eighth and possibly last time today. Landis had thrown her from her horse in a jousting competition, previous to this moment and Ghada wanted to soak her sore limbs rather than a sword and shield combat.

Landis ran at her with full speed, which was quite quick but not as fast as he used to be Ghada noticed. She feinted left and held up her shield to block a blow that was clearly aimed to dislodge her arm had this been a real fight. Ghada swung her sword swiftly to the side of his head and heard a surprising "oof" of an impact, which she thought he would block. Taking this to her advantage, Ghada shied to the right of his sword and in a powerful movement lifted her sword up and split apart the old shield neatly into two pieces.

Landis cursed at how badly he was doing, usually accustomed to winning by now and tossed his now useless shield to the side, surprisingly he watched Ghada do the same.

"What are you doing? You would have had an advantage over me had this been a real battle."

Ghada smiled at her tutor, "I wanted to make this fair, so once I am victorious you can say it was by pure skill."

Landis chuckled, and launched himself again towards Ghada, this time having a successful impact when he aimed for her shoulder, weakening her sword arm.

He heard Ghada grumble about something as he backed off and waited for another chance to attack. A moment later Ghada ran at him full force and a lot faster than he himself had been earlier and imitated the blow she had just received. Instead of backing off she swung her wooden imitation of a blade at the back off his head, and hit hard enough for Landis to become dizzy. Taking this moment to end it Ghada smacked her sword face down onto his hand, which made him release the wooden sword.

Ghada shrieked out loud and jumped up in victory. Tired and bruised, but she had won and would no longer need to have lessons. Landis, took a moment to collect himself then took it upon himself to congratulate the first ever female to beat him in a match. Amory, who had been watching secretly from inside the stables came running out cheering to her little sister. Landis looked over in surprise and laughed out loud.

"My first match losing to a woman has to be witnessed, figures."

Ghada grinned over at the old knight.

" You've shrunk," she stated.

"Either that or you've grown," replied Landis.

Ghada laughed at that statement.

" I wish!"

For it was true, over the years Ghada secretly hoped to grow tall and strong but was immediatly let down when her growth spurt was declared over after she had reached the height of 5 feet and 5 inches. Her hair had grown also but Ghada insisted on cutting it back to its rightful place of above her shoulders. Her charcoal black hair had seemed to taken on a personality of its own and started to wave softly and grow very slowly now instead of quickly as it used to.

Amory ptted her sister on her back and noticed the wincing it created.

"I made sure a hot bath was prepared for you," said Amory.

Ghada thanked her and decided to go ahead to relax. Amory was now engaged and Ghada found it almost depressing that her last sister would soon be leaving her nearly empty estate. Soon only Ghada would be the last daughter to remain in the household. Over the years her father had changed and grown distant while the cushion display remained unused and hidden away. Ghada decided to go there now as the water drained from the tub.

Although Ghada disliked that place as it was the last time she had seen her sister Amaryllis, she liked to go in there to think. She tried not to dwell on the past, but to think more of the future, and the promise she had made to her sister that she would find her. Amaryllis would now be 21 and Ghada wondered if she would still recognize her. She hoped dearly that her sister was safe and being treated right. The door creaked open and Landis peered his head in clearly looking for her.

"Ah there you are," he said, "You ran off on me before I could tell you the news."

"What news?" asked Ghada sitting up hopefully.

" A tournament is going to be held in four months time, and I heard that Slade is going to be there, issued as one of the judges."

Ghada narrowed her eyes at the name of the man she had sworn to kill.

"Of course I would have only told you about this tournament if you had beaten me, which I may add you did."

She grinned inspite of herself.

" I would like to see you down there as soon as possible as knights who want a name for themselves are coming from all over. I have sent for a carriage and you will leave this evening."

Ghada sat there staring at her old master in shock until she finally found her voice.

"Are—Are you insane? I'm not prepared at all, and I've hardly fought a real battle before in my life! These are real men you're talking about here. Men who will be a foot taller and more than likely twice as strong!"

Landis looked caringly at his student, " Aye, it would be a difficult task indeed, but this tourny is a bit of a weird one if you ask me. Instead of one on one battles from the beginning you will be in teams, which will then be reduced to small groups then finally into a group of two, which will then lead to a final one on one battle. So you will be receiving some help, and even second and third rankings are better then no name at all."

Ghada though over his words carefully, and imagined herself being crowned the winner in front of a huge crowd little knowing that she was female.

" I'll do it."

"Good, Good. I already took the preparation of packing your bags and getting out the necessary funding you'll be needing."

Ghada walked out of the doors with Landis and saw all of her belongings firmly packed and waiting.

" How do you know I wouldn't say no?"

" I've trained you for seven years, a master should know his deciple well enough by now."

As the carriage arrived Ghada walked down under the heavy wait of her belongings and began to load them onto the back.

"Landis I'm going to miss you," said Ghada looking tearfully at him.

"I don't see why you should. I'll be going with you," replied Landis with his eyes twinkling.


	7. Chapter 7

Amory ran down the steps and Ghada cried out in dismay realizing she had almost forgotten to say goodbye to her sister in her haste of excitement. As they hugged one another tightly Amory slipped her a necklace with a blue pendant on it.

"For luck," she muttered not wanting Landis to hear that.

"Thanks Amory, I'll be needing all the luck I can get I believe," said Ghada.

Ghada leapt into the carriage beside Landis who had finished saying goodbye to Hester, and the carriage driver with one impatient flick of his reins drew the carriage away from the household.

On the journey there a concern entered Ghada's mind.

"Landis I have no weapons or armour of my own!" gasped Ghada in dismay realizing her dilemna.

"We;re going to stop into town to fix that problem," answered Landis.

The carriage stopped an hour later and Ghada was glad to stand up, hating the cramped space in the carriage which would most likely be even less roomy when they bought more stuff.

Landis entered a shop and Ghada felt foolish following him into the weapons shop. She felt the eyes of the store keeper on her and tried to seem more masculine than she was feeling. Landis had insisted she wore mens clothing before they left, and to change the style of her hair to make it more male looking. It was still long for a man but Ghada liked the new style of her hair.

" This one seems almost feminine," said the store keeper as he pulled out a sword, which Ghada immediately liked the look of.

Ghada tried to deepen the sound of her voice before speaking, " That sword would suit me fine."

Landis raised an eyebrow at the sound of her voice and the inn keeper let out a hearty laugh.

"Good God even the lad's voice hasn't changed yet, not to mention how small he is. Sure he's eighteen? Looks like he hasn't seen puberty yet."

Ghada blushed crimson and decided to look at other random weapons not really caring what they were just as long as he could get away from the store clerk. After what seemed like hours Landis finished with his bargaining and purchases and signaled Ghada to leave with him. 

"That man was barely fooled," said Ghada worried, " How am I supposed to fool hundreds of people if I could barely pull it off in there?"

Landis's expression carried the same thoughts she had expressed.

"Aye seems we do have a problem, and they won't let any knight under eighteen take part so we can't claim yer younger. You'll just have to stick by the story we make up for you at all times, and act less like a girl."

Ghada glared at Landis, "It's hardly _my_ fault I don't know how to act like a boy. You never gave me lessons in that!"

" Well on the way then we have a lot of learnin' to do then eh?" smiled Landis as he loaded up the carriage. Ghada swore it sunk to the ground lower than it had been before.

" Christ, What did you get me Landis?"

" Well you got your basics, the sword and the shield then we got you some armour which shouldn't be too heavy, but will be challenging enough to move around in for one who has never wore it. And I even bought you're favourite. The bow and the arrow, incase there is any archery involved."

As he introduced it to her she looked it over in awe, never holding real weaponry and armour before. Ghada noticed one each piece of armour was a crest which resembled a large roaring cat of some kind with wings.

" Landis what's this crest which is on everything?"

"Ah you've noticed, good. That is your family crest. You'll notice that it's a sphynx. I thought it would be a good choice as sphynx's tell riddles, and you m'dear will be fooling everyone there. I have also decided on a good strong name for you as you can hardly be introduced as 'Ghada' but you will now be Emlyn which means brave and noble warrior, and you will be known as the only son and heir of Wycliff Marley."

Ghada raised an eyebrow at her new name, as she was now named after the Island she lived on.

"What if someone that knows my family is there? They know that there is no such son!"

"We'll just say that you were a bastard son with a maid instead of a noble woman and kept a secret up until this point."

Ghada still looked worried, "I guess that could work, but I still don't know how I am going to pull this off..."

"We'll start with names first, so as you won't go in there clueless giving yourself away. There are some pretty big names coming into this competition, such as Ryker Appleby, who is son to one of the judges, Devlyn Rhoasa who has won many minor tournaments. Ambrose Finnigan, he is known to be the strongest knight, though very little mind power. Cicero Avory is known to be very sly and clever, so mind you he doesn't get you disqualified. Last but not least is Calix Lancaster, he is the one you should be most wary of. He is said to have the best chances at winning this competition, and is strong in all areas."

Ghada bit her lip thoughtfully as the name "Calix" sounded very familiar to her. Landis smiled knowingly.

"You've met him once before you know. He was only a page boy of course, and he seemed innocent enough then but my has that boy changed. It could possibly be because he was page, squire and now knight to Slade but---''

" HE'S THE KNIGHT OF SLADE?" screamed Ghada in shock.

" Yes, so be careful around him and be sure to make no offensive gestures nearby him, or at all come to that. I don't want to see you on the wrong side of that man."

Ghada sighed and reluctantly she'd be on her guard around him.

"Good. Now here we are," said Landis.

Ghada looked out of the window surprised that they were there already with out her noticing. She saw a huge imitation of a coliseum and for the first time began to feel very nervous. She also saw many men headed towards the entrance, which she assumed were going to be her competition.

Landis peered over all the stuff he was carrying to see where she was looking at, and decidedly dumped half of his load on the unsuspecting girl. Ghada let out a grunt as a heavy load was suddenly placed on her. Landis strolled towards the registration booth while Ghada tried to keep up, but fell behind anyway. As she entered the line with Landis she felt herself bump someone.

"Watch it!" said an indignant voice. Ghada peered around her stack of bags and saw a broad chest plate, she looked up and saw a red faced older looking man staring down at her.

" Mind where you're going _slave_," he said and stomped off towards the entrance of the coliseum.

Ghada dropped her bags and was about to go marching after him, when Landis's arm shot out to stop her.

"Don't bother. He's one of the judges. Injure him in any way and you'll be out of the coliseum in no time."

Ghada nodded reluctantly, and waited in the line up with Landis under the hot sun until they got registered and entered the coliseum. She had never seen such an arena in her life. It was all circular, and stands were all around the audience she supposed for the crowd and there were booths a bit higher up she supposed for the nobility, as they were covered by a stone roof-like structure from the sun.

As they walked across the arena and into the coliseum itself it cooled off instantly and Ghada let out a sigh of relief. Landis and 'Emlyn' were shown to where the sleeping quarters were and to Ghada's dismay, the competitors had to sleep on a different level then family, or who ever they brought with them.

As Ghada sat down on her assigned bad she was glad to see it was near a window, which was what she was used to at home. Over ten minutes time competitors drifted in and out of the rooms while Ghada remained on her bed sizing up her competition. Although not wanting to admit it many of these men intimidated her by the powerful way they walked or the pure size of them. Ghada guessed that the average height was six foot, while she was under that by about seven inches.

She watched warily as both beds beside hers were still empty. Finally A knight who also seemed shorter than the others yet at least five inches taller than Ghada walked in and took the bed on the left to her. He was very pale, she thought, and seemed quite thin compared to other muscular figures she had seen. He had brown mousy hair which was wind blown by the look of it, and green eyes which were now studying Ghada back.

" Hi I'm Cecil, Cecil Van Haven," and he stuck out his hand towards her in a friendly manner.

Ghada smiled instantly liking the boy.

"I'm G-Emyln Marley," she said standing up taking his hand and shaking it firmly, wincing on her almost fatal mistake.

A tall incredibly muscular knight who was passing by heard this and let out a laugh. Ghada looked up at him to see what he found so funny.

"G-Emlyn," he imitated, "That sounds more like Gremlin, and it suits you since you're a midget," he stated and carried on his way.

Ghada glared at his back when he left, and Cecil noticed the motion.

" Ah don't worry about him. He's a big jerk, he called me a sickly grandmother when he first saw me."

Ghada almost laughed at that remark but withheld it, wanting to keep her only friend.

"Who is he?" she asked instead.

" He's Ambrose Finnigan, and he thinks he's so clever making those remarks. I want to seem him fair in the battlefield if he talks to everyone that way."

Ghada secretly seconded that motion.

"Well its nearly time for dinner," said Cecil, " I heard the food here is supposed to be really good, so we should go and eat some before giant buffoons such as Ambrose show up and eat it all."

Ghada chuckled at this and left the room with her new found friend. Maybe things here wouldn't be so bad afterall.


	8. Chapter 8

Ghada entered a large room, which already held many of the other competitors. Cecil directed them both to the buffet table, which held many meats and fruits which Ghada had never seen before. As Cecil began stacking the food on his plate, sampling as he went, Ghada took the time to look more closely at the people around her.

One man in particular looked familiar to her, and after awhile of studying his character Ghada realized it was the man who had called her a slave only that afternoon.

"If you clutch that plate any harder it's going to break,"said a voice from behind her.

Ghada looked down at her fingers and noticed her knuckles had turned white and relenquished her death grip on the porcelain. Turning around she looked into a face of a fellow knight who looked around her age and was smiling.

"Oh, forgive me, my name is Damian Corwin," he said, with a slight mock of a bow.

"I'm Emlyn," said Ghada, not knowing what to think of him.

" I noticed you in my sleeping quarters, and I'm directly across from you so if you ever feel like talking to someone I'm always there." Saying that the boy saundered off to join Cecil at the buffet table.

After a few minutes had past Ghada grew bored and lonely as no one else had introduced themselves to her. Cecil walked over still eating, and Ghada wondered how he could remain so thin from all the food he was packing in.

"See that man?" Cecil pointed to an extraordinarily elderly looking man who was biting into a chicken leg with great delicacy.

"Yes what about him?"

"He's the main judge of this whole competition he is. Mr. Wellington has been over looking these tournaments for at least thirty years and is excited about the new changes in this one."

"How many judges are there?" asked Ghada.

"Oh they'll be introducing themselves shortly," he replied gnawing on the last of his meat.

Soon enough Cecil was right and the hall was called into a silence so that Mr.Wellington could speak. Three other men rose beside him and Ghada guessed these were the other judges.

"Welcome to the 118th tournamnet of Renolph. You have all nevertheless registered for the upcoming battles and we are proud to announce there are now over one hundred competitors. A record for an amateur Knight Title, if I do say so myself. On my Right is Mr.Appleby," Mr.Wellington signalled all attention towards him and paused then continued with the introductions, " And on my left is Mr. Redolpho," Redolpho smiled cheerfully and waved at them all. " And finally Mr.Paindridge, otherwise preferred to be called 'Knox'."

Ghada gasped at the name, and reaized that the man who had called her a slave had also been the man who had entered her home seven years ago with Slade. Did that mean that Amaryllis was here?

" The rules are to be followed," carried on Mr.Wellington, " Absolutely no tolerence will be held with violence outside of the arena or deliberate attempts to hurt a member of an opposing team. Night time strolls and walks are strictly prohibited. Any substance found to enhance your performance is banned. And by no means are any bribes to be taken." With that said Mr.Wellington sat down looking tried, and left the rest up to Mr.Redolpho to explain who looked very enthusiastic.

"Right then, there will be five teams of twenty, and you will all draw out a different coloured ball tomorrow morning to see which team you will be on, you then will be expected to introduce yourselves make your strengths clear to others and start practising on the arena, and or the trianing rooms located around and inside this coliseum. Within the next few months you will learn to work as a team and once the tournament starts you will start facing off against one another. I shall let Mr.Paindridge, explain to you how the groups will work," and with that Mr.Redolpho sat next to Mr.Wellington.

"This tournament I hope you understand will be no cake-walk," started out Knox, " Many injuries will occur and perhaps a few deaths—

"Mr.Paindridge!" said Mr.Appleby clearly shocked at the opening line of his comrades speech. " There will be no deaths in this competition that we reassure you," he said to the growing restless audience.

" As I was saying," said Knox eyeing Appleby steadily which made him sit down giving full attention to Knox, " This tournament will be tiring, stressful and very long. We have promised the city eightenn days of entertainment, and the battles will occur from morning to mid-evening. Afterall battles at night time would be a bloody nuisance as no one would be able to see anything. You will start out in groups of twenty which will be arranged tomorrow as Mr.Redolpho said. From there you will be set up to fight the other groups and knights who are knocked out or unable to play in any way will be disqualified. The groups will rapidly shrink after each battle and you will then be divided into smaller groups. The numbers in these groups are yet to be decided as we don't know how many of you will carry on past the first round," Knox stared his audience down and with a final sneer sat down.

Ghada shuddered, this man seemed to enjoy violence very much and he made the tournament sound a lot more like warfare then a tournament. Cecil stood beside her clearly in awe also of what he just heard.

"Well I hope I'm on your team," he said breaking the silence between them.

"Yeah I hope so too," said Ghada.

As they left the hall and walked back to their sleeping corridors, Ghada started to worry about the whole thing. She could be exposed at any minute and being watched by thousands when the tournament began was no console to her.

As they entered the loud room, Cecil began to unpack his things.

Ghada threw herself onto her bed and looked at the bedside right to her. Still no one occupied it. Cecil apparently had noticed that too.

"That's odd, usually everyone would be here by now, especially if the teams are made up tomorrow," he said.

"He probably backed out, afterall no amateur knight would want to have to go through this," she said.

The room all of a sudden grew very quiet and all the knights were looking past her. Ghada sat up and turned around seeing a very tall and handsome knight looking down at her.He had brown hair and a tan which made it obvious he was under the sun a lot and his blue eyes looked at her with a fierceness that ran chills down her spine. Fighting the urge to blush Ghada hoped he hadn't heard the comment she had just made, but judging by the way he was looking at her he had.

" I assure you I am no amateur," he said coldly, and with that threw his stuff onto the bed on the right of hers and lied down fully attired.

"Well you're an amateur at getting places on time,"stated Ghada, not liking his tone.

The knight turned towards her propping his head up with an arm surveying her.  
"I bet you won't make it past the first round. In fact I'll make sure you don't,"he lay down again facing away from her which angered Ghada even more so as she was never used to being insulted to her face then snubbed right afterwards.

Ghada picked up her sack filled with her armour and tossed it at him. It hit him successfully causing an unsuspecting grunt and for him to throw it back at her with a lot more force.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Putting an arrogant bastard in his place," she replied.

The room grew even more silent if possible and Ghada looked at Cecil for reassurance but only met a horror-stricken face.

"You're place soon enough will be under the ground if you don't stop bothering me," growled the knight.

This would almost seem comical to Ghada if he hadn't meant seriously wanting to kill her. As the knight went on Cecil pulled her out of the room and walked down the hallway out of earshot, and the room began to get nosiy again.

"What was that?" asked a panicky Cecil.

"He was being unneccessarily arrogant."

"Yes, but you should just ignore it! Do you even know who that _was_?"

Ghada shook her head.

"That was Calix Lancaster, the knight most likely to win this whole competition, and he just threatened to kill you!"


	9. Chapter 9

"Emlyn! Wake up!"

Ghada was shaken awake roughly.

"hmmm?"

"We're supposed to be in the arena in ten minutes to be sorted into our groups! I waited for you during breakfast but you never came."

Ghada looked into the blurried face of Cecil, her eyes not quite focused.

"Ok Give me a minute," she said rolling out the side of her bed and falling on the hard stone floor to wake herself up.

"Ok that hurt a little more than I thought it would," she proclaimed standing up rubbing her shoulder.

She grabbed her nearest tunic and threw it on herself with haste and ran out the door with Cecil. He himself was dressed in a yellow tunic and reminded her of an elf with his quick nimble steps. The procession was just beginning as they arrived and no one seemed to notice that they were late. As they progressed to the front of the line Ghada grew nervous as her and Cecil had only a 20 chance of getting on the same team, and she did not want to fight her friend.

Cecil was first in drawing his stone and the front of it was painted blue, he wandered off to join the team which also held blue stones, Ghada noticed that Damian was there, the knight who had briefly introduced himself before, and her eyes narrowed when she caught a glimps of Calix on the team also.

Ghada's hearbeat quickened when she reached into the barrel for her own fate.

Please let me be on Cecil's team even though that beast Calix is on that team 

Ghada picked up a stone and turned it around slowly so the coloured part would face her.

It was blue.

Ghada almost yelled with joy but contained it thinking that it would seem odd. She also resisted the urge to run over to join Cecil, but casually walked over to be the last team member. Cecil smacked her back victoriously when she showed him the stone.

"Great," came a voice near the back, " This team was looking in good favour until this twerp joined us."

Ghada looked over to see who said that and saw Calix glaring over with crossed arms.

"You ruin my chances, and I ruin you."

"Hey it's the Gremlin!" said another voice.

Ghada didn't even have to look as she knew only one knight called her that. Ambrose walked over and hosited her into the air.

"Obviously not good for a heavy weight."

All but Cecil laughed.

Ghada was dropped back down to the ground and landed on her back. Painfully standing back up Ghada walked away from Ambrose. Mr.Appleby walked over to their group to record all of their team members names.

"Right I will read out the names I have recorded and please tell me if I have got them wrong."

As he went along all the names seemed in order and he left quite as quickly as he had come.

"Well," said Ambrose taking control, "I suppose we better introduce ourselves and name our strengths like we were told to do.Guess I'll start with myself. My name's Ambrose Finnigan and I am best with heavyweights and my main weapon is a mace."

An older looking boy of perhaps twenty one stepped forward, " My name is Telemachus, and I am best with a sword, and a chariot."

Several more introductions were made until Cecil's turn arrived. Ghada was curious about his specialties.

"My name is Cecil, and I am a fast sprinter, best equipped with a spear."

Damian stepped forward with a huge smile which unnerved some of the others.

"My name's Rumplestiltskin of Sunnybrook farm, and I love cookies."

With that he stepped back. The others began to mutter and Ghada heard words such as 'mental' and 'queer' being used.

"Well I hope you have something other then a lame sense of humor, because if you don't you have no strengths," said Calix raising an eyebrow.

Damian glowered at him and stepped forward again, this time more seriously.

"My name is Damian, and my best weapon is daggars, but I can settle for a sword, and I can ride really well or control a chariot."

A rush of air was let out from his other team mates, glad that they weren't stuck with a crazed person, but a seemingly half-crazed person instead.

Finally the introductions got to Ghada, and as she stepped forward this time more then Ambrose shouted 'Gremlin!' and Ghada was patiently waiting until someone else took to speak.

"Shut up! Let him speak, I'd like to hear his _strengths_," said Calix.

Ghada eyed Calix warily remembering the promise she had made to Landis and unknowingly broken already.

"My name is Emlyn, My strengths are I am agile and my weapon is the bow and arrow, sword is a close second."

Someone snorted from the crowd, " Emlyn seems girly to me, what knight uses the _bow and arrow_ as their main weapon?"

It was true no one else yet, had had a strength in archery, Ghada felt herself glow red wondering why she had most of the knights picking on her.

Calix stepped forward being the last person, and taking the attention away from Ghada.

"My name is Calix, and I am good at everything," he stated simply stepping back.

Ghada thought of what the reaction would have been had she said that and found it awfully unfair that no one made a comment to Calix. A bell sounded, signalling lunch time and Ghada hurried away as fast as possible to get away from the knights. Cecil fell in step next to her.

"Don't let Calix get to you Emlyn," said Cecil, "He's not worth it."

"I'm good at everything," immitated Ghada, " Who would ever say that?"

One thing she was sure of, he had been uncomfortable before watching the body of her dead sister. Although seven years had passed she wondered if it still unnerved him.

"Well lunch time should cheer you up," said Cecil, " I'm starving, and nothing makes me happier then eating a good meal."

Ghada laughed at her friend and decidedly raced him into the hall, losing badly. They took their seats and the judges annouced to them that their sleeping arrangements and eating arrangements would be changed according to their teams. Ghada sighed, not wanting to have to sleep beside Calix but also having to eat with him. This had clearly passed his mind to for when he sat down he made to do so far away from Ghada.

The meal was eaten in a rowdy uproar of team mates clapping one another on the back or cursing their luck, but Ghada nibbled some bread quietly. Her senses all but shut down until she heard the name 'Wycliff'.

"Yeah, I've heard of him," she heard Calix say.

She tried to lean in to hear better.

"Is it true that he actually put his daughter out on display to tempt in rich suitors?" asked a boy named Maxwell, " That;s what my cousin told me anyway, he went to go and see them."

"I think that's awful putting them on display," said another knight named Errol joining into their conversation.

"Hey Emlyn, what did it feel like to see all of your sisters up on display?" asked Calix, "You're Wycliffs son afterall."

Ghada sensed a trap in this but decided to answer anyway.

"My sister's enjoyed being looked at by potential husbands."

Calix frowned. "So including the sisters which ran away, died and was taken away by force they were happy were they?"

Ghada in that moment snapped at the casual tone in his voice, about the way he talked about her horrible past. She stood up and marched over to Calix and swiftly punched him in the face.

"Don't EVER talk about my family that way again," she yelled aiming to hit him again.

This time Calix was ready and caught her fist when she lunged.

" Hitting unsuspecting people does not solve anything," he mocked

Ghada struggled against his grip while he stood up. He reached about 6'4'' and despite the fact he was almost a foot taller than her Ghada was not scared. Calix let go of her fist and walked past her bumping into her as he went. She stared angrily at his back, knowing she couldn't fight him infront of the judges.

They were alert enough already and came over to check what was happening. When Cecil claimed all was well they left, but only after circling the table a couple of times.

As they left the room Cecil looked at her carefully. "Is what Calix said true? I mean about your sisters…." He trailed off thinking he better leave it alone but was surprised when she answered.

"Yes, it is," Ghada said quietly.

"Emlyn I'm sorry," said Cecil meaningfully, "The knights here aren't exactly treating you with respect and— "

He was cut off when a scream was heard. Both ran towards the direction of the sound and Ghada saw a wisp of curly blonde hair. Her stoamach lurching Ghada jumped onto the back of her apparent assailent which knocked him off balance. Pinning him down to the ground Ghada looked up into the face of the woman who was looking non-too-pleased at her actions.

"You boy, what are you doing to my husband?" she shrieked trying to pry Ghada off.

"Husband?" Ghada looked down onto the outraged man she was sitting on, " I'm sorry I thought he was attacking you! When I heard you scream--"

"That scream wasn't of terror you stupid boy."

When the man got to finally stand Ghada was cuffed over the head, hard. She fell to the ground temporarily stunned and Cecil stood infront of her as the man tried to kick her fallen body. Another surprising figure appeared to her rescue when Cecil was shoved out of the way by the apparently very strong man.

"Father stop, These men are on my team and I don't want to see them hurt. It could cost us the first round."

The man stopped and looked at his son, "Ah Calix, good to see you boy. You look as strong as ever."

"Indeed," said Calix without emotion.

"Well I guess, your mother and I will be on our way," and with that both of them quickly walked off not wanting to be caught in the scene.

"Well I see my parents aren't too fond of you either," said Calix almost jokingly as he held out his hand to help Ghada up.

Ghada mistrustingly took his hand ecpecting him to let go, but he pulled her up with ease.

"Why did you help us?" she asked still confused about what just happened.

"Like I said I don't want my team getting hurt," he said sincerely, "Especially if its by my own parents."

Ghada looked at him in a new way. He almost seemed human now.

"Of course this doesn't mean were best buddies or anything," he scowled and walked off.

Cecil looked at Ghada then at Calix with his mouth hanging open.

"W-What just happened? You just punched him in the face not twenty minutes ago and he helped us out."

Ghada was dwelling on the same thing just as hard.

"I guess he just wants the respect of his team mates, and we were both giving him a challenge. Afterall who wants to be on a team where the people themselves don't get along?"

A month passed by and another month was left and Cecil and Ghada now seemed to fit in with everyone else. Even Ambrose called Ghada 'Gremlin' more affectionately now and if she was ever hoisted up she was put down more gently rather then full out dropped. Calix had stopped the unwaning hostility, but still as he said they weren't comrades.The team was looking quite good together as everyone finally got along, and the other teams seemed to be noticing it and putting in extra work to keep up.

At dinnertime a page came bursting through the doors looking very anxious indeed and practically ran up towards the judges table, when Ghada finally noticed Mr.Wellington was absent from. He whispered something to Appleby who in turn passed it on to the others and all three judges exited the room. Everyone began talking aloud at once wondering what just happened.

Thirty minutes later the three judges came in with another man who looked disgustingly familiar to Ghada.

Redolpho silenced the knights and in turn begn to talk.

"Mr.Wellington has died, so we will now be appointing a new judge as there has always been four, may I present to you Mr. Slade Desdon."

Ghada gasped as she saw the man who had killed Delora for the first time since seven years ago. Calix smirked up at Slade while Slade acknowleged him and his eyes stopped onto Ghada. Ghada held her breath as he continued to stare.

Does he recognize me? 

But moments later his eyes drifted away and Ghada let out her breath remembering that icy stare. Damian noticed the nervousness in Ghada's demeanor.

"Are you alright?" he asked causing others to look in her direction.

"Fine, I'm just fine,"she replied staring up at Slade.


	10. Chapter 10

It was exactly one month before the tournament, and anyone could tell that the competitors were getting anxious. Many more men had been complaining of sore muscles or a sprain due to over exertion, and the clinic located inside the coliseum was usually very busy tending to their wounds.

'Team Blue' as they were now called were waiting in line to receive their new blue tunics that they would wear during their first match. Complaints went out that they would look like ordinary missionary's instead of galant knights with their shining armour, but Ghada was glad of wearing a light fabric rather then a heavy metal which would grow hot and irritating under the warm sun.

The first time Ghada put on her full armour, Landis was right, it was very heavy for someone like her who was unaccustomed to it to walk around, nevertheless train with it on. Many poked fun at her when she walked outside with it attempting to get used to its weight.

As the blue tunic was handed down to her the color reminded her of the pendent around her neck that Amory had given her. She wore it but made sure her clothes covered the pendent not wanting to cause any notice to it. Her height and weight were made fun of enough already, and she didn't want to call any attention to the fact she wore a lucky necklace.

She remembered the day they were called on the scales and the average weight turned out to be almost two hundred pounds (as muscle weighs more than fat), and Ghada had come out at a mere 125, causing another chuckle to be heard from her team mates. Even Cecil managed to scrape 160 pounds, although he reminded Ghada of just skin and bone.

Ghada decided to try on her new tunic and was glad that it turned out to be a shapeless piece of fabric, as she wanted no attention to her not very masculine body. Ghada always had to be careful where she changed as she didn't want anyone to see the wrappings around her chest, and was known to be a "shy one".

Having nothing to do Ghada decided to go to target practise since there was never many people there. Surprisingly hardly anyone used the bow and arrow. Only seven other knights besides herself , had she seen even attempt. As she trodded along the dirt path towards the archery set up, she saw two people already there. One a contestant and one of them looked like Slade. Ghada narrowed her eyes and decided to climb a tree nearby and eavesdrop on their conversation.

Calix shot his arrow and hit a bullseye, which Ghada thought impressive as six other arrows already remained there. He hadn't missed once.

"Good boy," said Slade as if rewarding a dog with a compliment.

"This is too easy," replied Calix looking bored.

"It's because you're better than all the other fools who think they can aim well," replied Slade with obvious disdain when he thought of the other knights.

Ghada gritted her teeth together knowing that judges weren't allowed to have favourites, especially if they had trained one of the knights themselves. Even Appleby, Ghada noticed, didn't pay much attention to his own son and treated him like the rest during the training sessions so far.

Calix cockily walked to one of the targets picked it up and walked 100 metres farther, placed it down then came back. He shot an arrow and as it flew through the air Ghada gasped at how close to a full bullseye it was. The arrow had landed on a circular line marking the bullseye and the next level. He had almost done it on his first try. Calix scoweled and pulled back another arrow, clearly finding the first one not good enough. It landed square in the middle and Slade looked at Calix with greedy looking eyes.

"You my boy, are going to win this competition, and make me a very rich man," he said, having placed many bets; although judges , Ghada also recalled, were'nt allowed to place bets either.

"Next I want to see your swordsmanship," said Slade, " I have a special surprise coming up in the competition and the better you are with a sword is the better chance of surviving."

Ghada narrowed her eyes at the word surviving. The competition had almost somewhat changed when Slade had been appointed fourth judge in replacement of Mr.Wellignton. Knox and Slade had pretty much overpowered the other two judges and were always talking animatedly about the battles. Ghada wondered what the changes were, that had made both men so happy. She did'n't like it, she didn't like it at all.

As Slade past under her tree first Ghada sat extra still not wanting to be caught that she had overheard their entire conversation. Calix stopped suddenly directly underneath and told Slade to go on to the stadium where everyone practised swordsmanship and Slade looking confused but accepting walked on ahead.

Bending down as if to examine his sandle Ghada heard Calix mutter, "I know you're up there," and gasped when she saw him suddenly staring right at her.

Ghada dropped from the tree half from shock and halfly because she might as well make herself known now.

"How did you know I was in there?" she asked incredulously.

"Like I said, I'm good at everything. Including detecting unwanted eavesdroppers such as yourself. Mention to anyone what you heard and you won't have it easy," said Calix staring down at her.

"Slade shouldn't even _be_ a judge! He favours you obviously, and makes bribes, that's against protocall, and no one is allowed to make changes to the 'games' last minute, although I don't know why they are called 'games' since its not that fun at all," stated Ghada as if reading from an invisible handbook of how to be a judge.

"You talk too much," said Calix shaking his head, "If you spent half the time training as you do talking, I might take you as a serious opponent."

Ghada walked forward stood about a metre behind where Calix stood to shoot, got and arrow out and aimed at the target Calix had moved.

"Going to upshow me are we?" asked Calix unimpressed at her motion.

"Just you watch," said Ghada concentrating on the target.

She let her arrow fly and watch it cut into the back of the staff of the arrow that Calix himself had shot.

Calix raised an eyebrow and nodded his head, " I was expecting you to get a bullseye, but to actually cut into my arrow…..not bad twerp."

"Why do you still call me twerp?"asked Ghada annoyed that she still held onto that name.

Calix looked at her with fake surprise and bent down so he was her height to whisper, "I don't know if you've noticed, but, uh, you're not exactly very tall and you weigh as much as a girl."

Ghada stood at her full height, "Good knights do not have to be musclebound and tall."

"Well prove that to me in the games," said Calix walking away.

Ghada looked at his back again and decided that, that was the part of him she saw the most. Stepping forward Ghada practised shooting for the rest of the afternoon, and never missed once.

As dinnertime approached Ghada felt her stomach growl and decided to head down early. She was the first one in there besides the judges and took her usual seat waiting. A couple more knights filtered in when Slades voice was heard apparently addressing herself.

"You there."

Ghada turned in his direction slowly, wanting very much to rip him apart right there and then.

"Yes?" She couldn't force herself to address him as sir.

Slade noticed the lack of formality also, "You must call me sir, boy."

"Yes……sir,"she struggled out hoping to not have to talk to him ever again this way.

"I feel as if you are not worthy of this competiton and I now ask of you to take up your possessions and leave this coliseum at once."

Ghada gaped at the obviously prejudiced man.

"I can keep up as well as the other knights, _sir,"_she said, not wanting to come all this way for nothing.

Slade snorted at the comment, "I for one _know_ you won't get past the first round." He looked down at a piece of parchment he was holding, "I see that you depend on running, and a bow and arrow," he said with a humorless laugh, "If those are your strengths, and you still want to do this competition I suppose you deserve to die."

Calix had walked in during the last part of his speech followed not far by behind by Cecil. Cecil looked outraged that a judge would speak to his friend like that, and wondered why the other judges weren't stopping him. Calix apparently found this a little harsh too.

" He's on my team and has been training well. Emlyn is not completely worthless, and his bow and arrow skills would be a fine addition towards our teams first victory."

Through saying this Calix didn't look once at Ghada, and Ghada sat still in a small shock of being addressed as "Emlyn" instead of twerp or anything else insulting.

Slade looked at his own knight and looked like he was thinking it over. "Very well but since I am funding this whole thing, I want it to be as interesting as possible, no knight who looks like _that boy_ is going to be taken seriously by the crowd so he better be as good as you say he is." With that Slade turned to talk to Knox completely ignoring the prescence of anyone else.

Cecil sighed in relief, "Thanks Calix."

Calix glared at Cecil and after a 'Don't talk to me' moved away from him towards the dinner table. Cecil followed and sat next to Ghada.

"I don't see why Slade gets to control everything just because he is paying," he muttered, "Besides I've heard all the changes are dangerous that he's made, but he doesn't seem to care as long as it appeals to the crowd. You'd think we're at the real coliseum in Rome, as long as we don't have to face lions," he ended trying to make it into a joke but failed.

"What changes _has_ he made?" asked Ghada.

Cecil bunched his brow together in thought.

"Well the rumors are getting more and more ridiculous, such as we have to fight mythical beasts that he's captured, or perform amazing feats or he'll kill us himself, But I heard one strong one that everyones been saying. That Slade has changed the rules from no deaths, but to killing is now an option. They even say he's arranged a few 'Lotta alla Morte' to amuse the crowds."

Ghada looked confused, "Whats a 'Lotta alla morte'?"

Cecil looked at her gravely, "Fight to the death."

As the last knights wandered in and seated themselves the dinner began and Slade rose once again, but this time addressing everyone.

"I have to inform you of my first change of many since they have arrived."

"Arrived? What's arrived?" said Errol loud enough for their table to hear.

The side doors were thrown open and men suited in black crude looking metal entered the room. There were a lot of them.

"Who are these people?" asked Ghada bewhildered.

Cecil shook his head clearly not knowing either.

As the men took off their helmets to face the knights Ghada noted there was probably as many black suited knights as there were amateur ones. They looked battle worn and not very pleasant. Some had scars on their faces and a particular knight who looked like he was in charge because he stepped forward and announced something to Slade.

"My men are your men."

Slade smirked and his eyes darted at all the men which in Ghadas opinion looked like killers, and she started to feel almost scared.

Slade turned back towards the tables.

"These, are the mercenaries I have hired either to kill you or for you to kill them. I'm sorry to say(Ghada noticed he didn't look sorry at all) that you won't be fighting amongst yourselves, but I've hired my own personal little army to make things a little more,ah, interesting. You will be facing off against 25 of these men in your first battle so train hard."

Many of the other knights looked intimidated too at such a hard first challenge. It almost seemed unfair that they'd be fighting obviously experienced men while they themselves had been knighted for at least a few months(like in Ghadas case) or a maximum of 3 years for other cases.

Appleby and Redolpho, were now standing up and leaving the table and Redolpho decided to speak.

"Appleby and myself have resigned to be any part of this tournament,"he looked very angered when he and Appleby left the room almost by force when they were guided out by some of the new comers.

This time Knox stood up to say something.

"Anyone who has registered will remain here unless Slade finds them unworthy of keeping around, If you know what I mean. Any knights found to be sneaking about or trying to escape will be severely punished, if not killed. This year we've added on many exciting twists which will most likely end up killing the weaker ones, and perhaps the stronger ones but we will see neh?" and with that he sat down.

Cecil had turned white and turned towards Ghada who also was looking rather sick.

"We've become prisoners in our own tournament," he said.


	11. Chapter 11

In the past week everything had become much more complicated for everyone who had entered into the competition. Even their training sessions were now watched to make sure no slacking off or 'funny business' was happening. Slade had hired several men to observe their daily warm ups and to set them up against one another, these men also were equipped with whips so any disobedience would lead to a lashing.

A lot more muttering was heard during the time they got to sleep, which seemed like the only time they weren't monitered. Only afterawhile did they notice a single man walk past their room a few times, and began to whisper as to make themselves inaudible.

"We're being treated like prisoners," said an angry boy named Balin.

"I think we should just revolt and overthrow them by our strength," said Ambrose, who's response was a shake of heads from eveyone else.

"We'd be killed for sure then," said Cicero, the boy Landis had warned Ghada about being clever.

"Do you have a plan?" asked Ghada hopefully.

Cicero frowned in thought. "I've been trying to think of something but nothing's come to mind yet. We're guarded too well."

"I heard Slade was even threatening our families or at least the people who came along with us. He told them that if we did anything wrong then they would be punished also," said Errol looking worried.

"My little sister is here!" said Maxwell in outrage. "She was supposed to see me fight respectibly, not to the death."

"Almost makes you want to lose in the first round so we can leave, cept in order to lose we have to be killed," said the usually quiet Faustus.

It seemed all of the blue team was awake and eager to discuss means to get out of the coliseum, and it seemed like the best way was to win, without losing anybody.

"Now I know what the slaves felt like when they were fed to the lions," said Cecil.

"How are we ever supposed to defeat 25 full grown men who have been trained for this kind of thing their whole lives. This is an amateur tournament for gods sake, it's like a guarunteed blood bath now," said a worried Telemachus.

"I've never killed a man before," said Cecil paling even more so.

"I don't think any of us have," agreed a boy named Barnabas.

"I have," said Calix joining into the conversation for the first time.

There was a silence before the next person spoke.

"I have too," said Damian.

Ghada was shocked that the harmless Damian could have ever killed anyone before in his life.

"What did it feel like?" asked Telemachus.

"I was in a situation where I had no other choice," said Damian. "It was my father, he was attacking my mother in a drunken rage with a hot ember stick, and my little brother was in the corner yelling for help, so I picked up a kitchen knife and threw it at his back and well…" Damian looked down unable to finish. "I was only 9 though."

A respectable silence was held through the story and Ambrose patted him on the back as an understanding gesture.

"What about you Calix?" asked Ryker.

Calix looked at all the hopeful faces for an answer.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said firmly and turned over away from them feighning sleep.

Ghada remember what Slade had said to him in her house, and it seemed like a very distant memory. "_Afterall you'll be killing all the time."_

Ghada wondered just how many people he had killed.

"We have 3 weeks to come up with a plan," said Cicero, "It better be a good one too."

As the knights fell asleep one by one, Ghada stayed awake unable to sleep. She got up and stretched instead looking out the window behind her which held a view of the dusty arena and the empty bleachers. After awhile she grew uneasy and felt like she was being watched. She turned around and saw a very thin and pale creepy looking man standing unbelievably still behind her. Ghada was about to scream when he cupped a hand around her mouth with an iron clad strength and held her nose with the other so she could hardly breathe nevertheless scream.

He smiled warily at her.

"Slade still finds you unworthy of this competition boy and he has a proposition to make. Since you're staying the man who came with you, Landis I believe, will be killed tomorrow. He will face five mercenaries alone and Slade invites you to come bear witness to this event. Once his blood is shed that will be the payment for you to stay in this competition."

Ghada felt tears streaming down her face as he told her this and lashed out, but he pranced away out of range and was about to leave the room when Ambrose stood in his way, blocking the whole frame of the door so he couldn't leave.

"Threatening my team mates doesn't go down too well with me, see?" he said picking up the skinny man who now himself was struggling against something.

"So kindly go tell _Mr.Slade_ that if Emlyn's gaurdian for the tournament is in danger then by no means will the blue team stand around watching." And with that Ambrose threw the man out of the door and watched him hit a wall.

"That just about takes care of it," said Ambrose wiping his hands on his tunic.

Ghada forgot who she was for a moment and ran over to hug Ambrose. Ambrose raised an eyebrow looking down at the apparently small boy who was crying and had suddenly latched onto him.

"Get ahold of yourself man," he said peeling off Emlyn, "Sometimes I wonder about you."

With that Ambrose walked back to his bed and fell back to sleep instantly like nothing had happened. Ghada crawled back into bed and fell asleep against something delightfully warm but Ghada was too tired to care what it was. In the morning she heard a cry.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?" yelled the man she was apparently sleeping next to. Her eyes were very blurry and she couldn't tell who it was quite yet.

"Your bed? This is my bed,"said Ghada sleepily looking to the left at which was an empty bed which looked an awful lot like….

"Hey this isn't my bed!" said Ghada sitting up.

"Glad you noticed," said a grumpy Calix who was now looking at her as though she was slow in the head.

Ghada felt herself reddening as she realized she slept next to him all night. She quickly tumbled out of his bed when the other knights started grumbling being woken up by his yell.

"Keep it down over there," said Balin rolling over trying to go back to sleep.

Many tried to do the same until a mercenary stepped into their room, and that drew all of their attention.

"Is there a Emlyn Marely and an Ambrose Finnigan present here?" he asked gruffly, his cruel eyes staring down at all the possible knights.

"That'd be me," said Ambrose standing up trying to look menacing, but wavered a bit when he saw the whip the man was holding.

"Which one are you?" asked the Mercenary, clearly not caring but wanting to get the rcord straight.

"Ambrose," he grunted.

The Mercenary nodded and his eyes stopped on Ghada.

"And you must be Emlyn," he said with a lip curling in disgust, "What a pathetic knight you make. I was told you were puny, and that was an understatement."

Ghada felt heat going to her cheeks all over again.

"Both of you come with me," he said turning and walking away but making sure they followed.

A long silence was held until Ghada dared to ask a question on the way down.

"Where are we going and why?"

The Mercenary took one look at her and shoved her up against the wall. He then took out his whip and whipped her full across the back. Ghada had never felt this much pain in her life when the after sting came to her, she felt water tricking down her face and The Mercenary gave her a look of disgust.

"Slade is right. Absolutely no respect. Now get up vermin."

Without saying anything else the three plodded along, with Ghada receiving a few anxious looks from Ambrose. Slade sat at the the breakfast table when they arrived in the empty main dinner hall. Slade thanked the mercenary and scowled at the two knights before him for awhile before talking.

"You should know why you're hear," he stated simply peeling an orange and sucking on a piece.

Ambrose glanced at Ghada and she nodded knowing it was for last nights run in with one of his countless spies.

"I have changed your punishment," said Slade looking at Ghada.

"Instead of seeing Landis go against 5 mercenaries I'm going to put you two in the ring with them. If you stay alive for twenty minutes that will be your punishment otherwise you die. Oh and I've taken consideration to invite anyone who wants to witness this event."

With that Ghada felt her arm grabbed and she was dragged away by the same mercenary, while ambrose followed along looking thunderous afterwards.

"Do we at least get weapons?" grunted Ambrose to the Mercenary.

"Yes, otherwise you'd die in one minute," he replied looking very snarky.

As they approached the weapons room they were in turn handed an old spear with a dull point at the end and a shield that had hardened limstone to keep them from falling apart, they were told they got no armour.

"We may as well not be armed," grumbled Ghada when they were standing behind the gate looking out towards the arena.

Ghada looked at her shield which was almost in two pieces. The limestone hadn't held very well on her shield and she was positive that it would only be able to take one blow. Better make it a good one she thought.

The Mercenarys were let out first to the booing of the crowd and, the noise surprised both Ambrose and Ghada signalling that quite an audience had shown up. Both tried to catch a glimpse and saw that all of their comrades on the blue team had showed up a few from the other teams, Ambroses Uncle he told her, and Landis who looked solemnly down at the warriors.

Ambrose growled afterawhile, when they still weren't let out.

"They're trying to intimidate us by giving us a good length of time to look them over," said Ambrose.

"It's working," said Ghada glimpsing their armour and freshly sharpened swords. They also had metal shields which looked like they could deflect anything.

"Ambrose we need a plan," she said getting desperate, "It'll be hopeless if we just run out there."

Ambrose nodded his head in apparent thought but came up with nothing.

As the their gate rose Ghada saw the mercenaries brace themselves to launch the first attack.

"I don't think Slade wants us to get out of here alive," she said.

Ambrose went runnign out into the arena first while Ghada hung back just little waiting if any last minute genius plan filled her head. When nothing came to mind she enetered the arena after him not wanting to leave him by himself. She heard a gasp of outrage from the crowd when they saw their attire and their poor excuse of a weapon. This only seemed to encourage the mercenaries who were now circling them from all sides, leaving them trapped in the middle of the circle.

Ambrose jabbed his spear at the mercenaries in a ready position for an attack. One charged at him with his sword risen ready to strike, and another ran at Ghada. Without thinking Ghada ran at her attacker also and used the bottom of her spear to pole vault over him. Before he had the opportunity she speared his back hard in a move which would have cause victory had the spear been sharp. Ghada looked to see how Ambrose was fairing and decided alright as he managed to steal sword from one of the men he had picked up and thrown. She heard cheers from the crowd for every move they made to save themselves from certain death.

Three decided to gang up on her at once and to the shouts of the audience they all lunged at her. She held out her shield and like she thought it snapped in half as the first blow came. She was knocked off balance by how hard the man had hit it and fell onto the ground. Ambrose saw her distress and ran over to help by throwing his blade at the nearest one to her which went clear through his arm, and he howled as he backed away.

Ghada quickly got up and swung the staff of her spear around to sweep one of the men off his feet, whn he dropped his sword Ghada grabbed it and plunged it through his leg, so he couldn't stand.

From behind her she felt someone's blade nick her shoulder and saw a flesh flow of red blood soak into her tunic. Someone shouted down that they had five minutes left and Ghada didn't know how much longer they could hold as it was still three against two. Ambrose apparently had suffered an injury when he yelled and threw a mans shield across the arena. She saw that his chest was now shown with a deep gash across it, and Ghada immediately ran over to help. Her left arm was beginning to get very tired from the loss of blood it had, and her grip on the spear lessened. It was knocked out of her hands a few seconds later by a mercenary who grinned at her with missing teeth.

Ghada began to run to the other field drawing two men after her. She hoped Ambrose could deal with the other one in his state. As she finally got to her destination she picked up the metal shield Ambrose had previously thrown and swung it full force into the toothless mans face. She watched him stumble away trying to regain balance and she turned to face the other man.

"Just give up and die," he said.

"Now if I gave that offer to you, would you accept it?" she asked.

The man scowled and threw his sword at her head. She swerved but felt it nick her cheek and put a hand to it to see even more of her blood.

Finally a horn was blasted and that signified the end of the match. Both Ambrose and Ghada stumbled out of the arena ring.

"Good job Gremlin," smiled Ambrose with a freshly missing tooth.

"Yep we're still alive," replied Ghada.

Both were escorted to the clinique by a cheering blue team.

"You were amazing!" said Cecil with wonder, "When you clean jumped that fellow, and when you swung that shield. It's no wonder you're still alive with techniques like that!"

Ghada wondered what techniques he meant. Those were random moves made to save her life.

Slade watched with narrowed eyes at the procession leading them away. He turned to Knox who had been present through the whole thing.

"Not as useless as I thought he'd be," said Slade obviously about 'Emlyn'.

"Worth keepin around I'd say," said Knox agreeing nodding his head.

"He'll be an entertaining one alright, but he won't last."


	12. A very brief note

Ok this is a note to Luna Moonshine who reviewed me and to my dismay thought Ghada was married to Landis. I really hope no one else thought this as I read back on my work in chp.5 and it kinda does seem that way but let me make this clear: Landis is the husband of Hester, Ghada's old nursemaid. Ghada is not married!

Thanks for giving me a long review though, it's much appreciated )

Most people also probably noticed I spelt clinic wrong a lot...I spelt it Clinique which is my favourite kind of perfume...sorry must have had it on the brain o.O I write this story on a laptop with no spell check gasp


	13. Chapter 12

Ambrose and Ghada had been known as hero's amongst the blue team now. Their battle scene was told over and over again, each re-telling becoming more and more exaggerated.

"They're making us sound legendary," said Ghada, finding all the attention tiresome.

Cecil laughed, still glad of the fact that his friend was alive.

"Well you two were pretty impressive out there. I must admit half of us thought you wouldn't make it and were ready to charge into the stadium when that time was apporaching."

Ghada took this information in with awe, glad to have such good team mates.

"How's your back healing up?" asked Cecil reaching to take a look for himself.

Ghada immediately stopped his hand from lifting up the back of her shirt.

"It's healing fine," she said in a comforting tone.

When Cecil and her other team mates had found out she had been whipped on the way before the battle there had been pure outrage. All asked her to tell the story once they had heard it from Ambrose, but Ghada didn't feel much like it. She had a difficult time as it was not letting the nurses near enough to attempt to help heal along the wound. If she had her cover would immediately have been exposed, and she shuddered to think of what the punishment would be now that Slade was in charge.

The officialy tournament began in three days time and Ghada hoped to make a full recovery before that time. Her arm and Ambrose's hurt chest had been tended to and both had taken it easier during training. Landis when Ghada had time to meet him had hugged her in a firm steady grip she couldn't escape from and declared he would have murdered all of the mercenaries himself had she not done such a good job in defending herself. Ghada smiled at her old tutor and was glad that it wasn't him down there which would have happened originally.

"I got a message from Hester the other day," said Landis, "She wants to come down to watch but I'm afraid that won't be possible as violent as everything is getting. If Slade new what her connection was to you she'd be in danger."

Ghada looked at the pained expression on Landis' face. He hadn't seen his wife in over 4 months and he was missing her terribly Ghada knew. He just tried to hide it.

Errol strolled by and stopped when he saw Ghada talking to Landis. Slowly he walked over trying to make his prescense aware so he wouldn't interrupt anything.

"Haven't you heard Emlyn? Slade's called another meeting."

Errol looked as though he wouldn't be able to tolerate another meeting, as lately Slade had taken to calling them every second day, and many of the knights found this very tiresome indeed.

"Interrupting our training if you ask me," he muttered as he walked away.

"I suppose you better be on your way then," said Landis his eyes following Errol's retreating figure.

"Yeah I guess so," said Ghada strolling off and giving Landis one last departing smile.

The main hall was full by the time Ghada entered it. Many of the Knights looked bored and acted like they didn't want to be there. And as usual Slade and Knox were not there yet. They had seem to taken a liking to arriving late whenever they called for a meeting as they had abused any way possible of having the important rolls as judges.

Ghada found Cecils pale figure in the ground and squeezed her way through the crowd and mustled herself between Cecil , and Calix who was surprisingly standing next to him. She found this an odd combination as Cecil thought Calix a stuck up pretty boy but didn't dare show this in anyway, while Calix thought Cecil a know it all, who would never shut up.

"Know what this meeting is about?"

Ghada directed her question at Calix since he was the one closest to Slade.

"I don't know what that crazy old man is up to anymore," he replied looking steely eyed ahead.

"I hope he hasn't brought in any wild demons next that we'll have to face in round 2…" said Cecil, now believeing that Slade could do anything he wanted these days.

The crowd was finally silenced when the half hour late Knox and Slade entered the hall, walking with a very haughty air indeed. They looked very pleased with themselves when they looked out at the angry and discomforted faces of the young knights.

"As you know we have called a meeting," said Slade staring down his audience to try and hold as much power over them as he could.

"I have decided that many of you might see the tasks ahead and decide to give up as I have made them a little more, ah, _challenging_ for you. So I have decided to give out prizes to the winners of the competition so my little knights will be motivated to please the crowd. We don't want everyone to give up now do we?"

Slade glared down at the knights making it sound more like an order than anything.

"We have to make sure you play for eighteen days, so we can't have you all dying on day one, or worse yet _wanting_ to die on day one. So I have arranged for a prize worthy enough to motivate any man. Instead of just a title, you will receive an estate, quite a bit of money, and someone to keep you company if you know what I mean." Slade laughed dryly.

"To show you I don't boast I decided to bring in some of the _prizes _today. Knox bring them in!"demanded Slade.

Knox nodded and headed towards the doors. In walked around twenty women all whom looked scared or very angry to be there. Many of the knights started to poke one another and laugh loudly trying to draw the attention of the woman they liked. Slade's eyes lightened at this finally thinking he had convinced them.

"The ten knights who get the farthest all get a prize. Of course different amounts as tenth place isn't the same as first now is it?" he said this finding Calix in the crowd, almost as if he was singling him out and just speaking to him.

Calix stared back determined not to look away and he ddin't have to wait long for Slade to tear his eyes off of him to continue talking.

Ghada wanted to see what the poor captive girls looked like and to see what state they were in, and so pushed her way towards the front as she was too short to see. Looking down the line she saw the faces looking around confused and frantic as if plotting an escape right there and then.

Allf of a sudden one girl caught Ghadas eye. She stood in the middle of a small group and Ghada hadn't seen her clearly before, and clearly neither had the other knights. Lots of attention went towards her when she was pushed forward to be shown off also.

Ghada gasped at the familiar wavy blonde hair and fair complexion.She stood tall, slim and elegant looking in a green silky dress which complimented her very nicely. The girls blue eyes seem to meet hers for awhile but then looked away again uncertain.

It was Amaryllis, Ghada was sure of it. Ghada had finally found her sister.

As the girls were lead out Ghada half wanted to scream and shout making sure Amarlyills knew she was there and that she wasn't alone, and the other half wanted to run after her full sprint and escape with her right at the very moment. Ghada decided against both options, as it would be very stupid to make herself known towards Amaryllis as it would put them both in danger. And the place was too well gaurded to escape so they would most likely be slaughterd on the way out. Ghada knew there was only one way to get her sister back and out of here safely and that was to be in the top ten of winning the competition.

Slade looked down at the small knight and his lips curved slightly to the side to give him a very snide look.

"Ah I see we've finally motivated our young knight."


End file.
